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"Ease of use"

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Nice modern kettle, easy to use, boils quickly.

Put the kettle on love, No it really wont suit me, just an old joke in my household.

I purchased this kettle at the end of 2009, I remember the date clearly as we were moving into our new home after living with my father for a while and we'd left a lot of kitchen appliances at a previous address. I got this at the same time I got a toaster from our local Sainsbury's store and knowing me I used nectar points to get it cheaper. I personally don't drink a lot of drinks hot or cold but my partner does so this kettle gets regular use and also used when need hot water for cooking. It cost approximately £15.00 and looking now I can see online it is selling at £15.99 so the price hasn't changed much.

This is a cordless kettle which a lot of them are nowadays. The kettle rests on a round base secured by a stud in the centre but it doesn't matter which way you put it on it will slot into the middle whether your left or right handed. The cable is 0.8m long so you can plug it into the socket yet the base can be a little way from the socket but remember you do have the cable between the base and socket. I have my plugged in and the cable runs behind the tea coffee and sugar jars.

I felt this was a modern kettle when I got it the nice shiny stainless steel and black base lid and handle would blend into any kitchen. It holds 1.7L of water which is approximately 5 cups worth depending on size of your cups (drinking cups).

It can be filled through the spout or click a button on the lid to open it up and fill it that way. I often have to use the spout as if my sink has washing up in it (No dishwasher here) then the kettle does fit into the sink allowing me to fill it from the lid. Once you are ready to make a brew then you simply flick the switch up which is on the back of the kettle underneath the handle. You will hear it start to work within a few seconds and also a faint red light appears on the bottom part of kettle, you can just about see it in the above picture. You can clearly hear when the kettle is on and it does tend to get louder as it gets boiling but as soon as it has reached boiling point it switches itself off again.

I've never really timed how long it takes to boil but it's about 3 - 4 minutes I think so quite quick. Did you also know that it is true that you should only put in the required amount of water each use as it does boil quicker then if you were to fill it to the top each time. This was information given to me by the electric company this week. but with a washing machine it uses the same amount of electric whether it is full or half empty.

I do find occasionally that when I lift the kettle from the base there is a little bit of water on the base which does bother me as it is electrical but it isn't always there. I don't think the actual kettle leaks but think it could be from the steam causing condensation. It pours nicely from the spout and doesn't dribble down. I'd like to get another kettle soon really as this has tended to loss it's bright stainless steel look and is now dull. Plus I've seen a purple kettle I like lol. There is no anti limescale thing inside so it needs to be cleaned with special cleaner quite often inside.

On the whole this is a good kettle, it does what is says on the tin, boils water.

Boil dry safety cut out guards against accidents, - I saw this online and didn't know it had it which is good to know really as more then once my partner has flicked the kettle on whilst I've been in the kitchen and it's had no water left in it. So if I'm not there one day I can relax that it isn't a major problem if he does that again.

Height width and depth are 23cm x 16.8cm x 24cm wattage 2400w

just adding a bit I forgot. By the handle there is a water lever bit so you can see how much water is in it. This is if you don't want to lift the lid to look inside lol.

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"Ease of use"

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Makes a nice cuppa. I've very happy with this kettle.

After my trusted old Woolworths kettle gave up on working I researched online to find this kettle. I made a special journey to a not very local Sainsbury's and joy of joys they had the kettle I wanted. It was not heavy to carry home, on the bus, just a little awkward in shape to handle.

When I unpackaged it I found the kettle shining beautifully, the surface was clear and smooth and the overall shape looked, and after some use, still looks stylish. The kettle comes with a lightweight separate base. This was important to me as I don't like the idea of carry the kettle, cord and plug to the sink. The base was packaged tidily in a bag underneath the kettle.

Setting up was easy, after all there should be nothing complicated in boiling up a kettle of water. There are clearly printed instructions to follow. The only tedious steps involved filling the kettle to the max and boiling three times before proper use. This was a good opportunity to feel the weight. When empty it is very light so when full of water it is not problematic to hold.

The lid opens swiftly by pressing on the black button on the handle. The spout is wide but not so wide that it overspills when pouring. The noise of boiling is minimal but the noise of kettle boiling has never bothered me. The side of the kettle gives a clear guage as to how many cups to fill from three to seven. However, you have to guess where the level is for one or two cups and the guage is only visible if the kettle is positioned exactly so.

The kettle feels sturdy and well built. Okay, it's not slim but it's rotundness is appealing to me. The handle has a very nice grip. My mother found it comfortable to use, even whilst she was healing from a broken wrist. In fact, she's waiting for her plastic kettle to break so that she can get the same.

So far this has only been used in a soft water area without problems.

Plastic, to me looks cheap, so this stainless steel is ideal. There are said to be health risks from drinking and eating from plastic so this kettle eliminates this fear.

When my old Woolies kettle died I really didn't think I'd find a product to match it. I did pay a bit more this time but from my research and comparison to the kettles of friends and family I am convinced this is the best value in terms of money, design, safeness of use and simplicity. Long may it last.

I'm sure I sure a TV chef using it to boil water on a programme recently. That made me smile!

Go ahead and buy Sainsbury's kettle. I think it's perfect for £24.99. It is easy to use, value for money, light in weight and it's still going strong for me after ages now. Love it.

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"Ease of use"

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A good reliable kettle

I have been through an exceptional number of kettles over the years, mainly because I live in a hard water area and feel unable to cope with the endless battle against limescale. Limescale clogs up the element, looks horrible and deposits nasty granules into your cup. If you really wanted to keep limescale at bay you would have use a chemical descaler every two weeks - something I am not prepared to do.

After calculating my overall kettle spend, I decided that the best plan was to buy cheap models so that I didn't feel too bad at getting rid of them after a year. As an aspiring green consumer, I am horrified to find myself writing this, but it is a fact of life that I have a huge limescale problem.

My latest search for the perfect cheap kettle took me to Sainsburys. I decided that their 'Basics' kettle at £4.79 was too much of a gamble, even for me - so I opted for the next level up - the £14.99 stainless steel cordless kettle. I initially bought the traditional version, but replaced it with the jug version folowing its premature demise after 3 months of use.

~~style and sophistication~~

Well - at £14.99 I didn't really expect innovative design! This jug kettle is good and plain, with no softly glowing lights or fancy gadgets. It looks fairly good on my work surface - certainly a lot better than some cheaper plastic models.

The casing pleasantly rounded and is made of brushed steel. Although this is not easily marked by fingerprints, it does show watermarks from my hard water: the sides have visible drip marks on them and the spout is often surrounded by a white deposit. The handle and the lid are made from black plastic. They both remain cool to the touch and are very ergonomically designed, fitting nicely and safely into the palm of my hand. In particular I think the lid is very well designed, having a lip which you put your fingers into to flip the lid backwards. I have never been burnt by steam when opening the lid of this kettle - a problem which I have had with other, more expensive kettles.

Inside the black handle is a water level indicator, showing water levels up to 1.7L. This indicator could possibly win awards for exceptionally poor design ! It has been carefully placed just behind the handle, ensuring that it is almost impossible to see it, which ever way you look. I peer to the right of the handle, I peer to the left, I look from above - I get a tantalising glimpse of the indicator, but still cannot read it. The only way to see how much water is in the kettle is to carefully place your face on the work surface, with your nose about 2 inches from the handle. Squint upwards without letting your face lose contact with the work surface... yes... squint a bit more... now you can see how much water you have put in!

Or you can just lift up the lid and look inside.

~~design of the important bits~~

The on / off switch is located underneath the handle. Although it is curved in a way that would automatically entice you to push down to switch it on - in fact you have to lift it to make the kettle work. I am not sure what the curve is for, as you should never have to push this switch down. When the kettle is on, a very dim red indicator light appears on one side of the kettle. This is difficult to see in daylight, and impossible to see if you happen to have faced the kettle the other way. The instructions say that this kettle is suitable for left or right hand use - but if you are left handed you cannot see the red light.

A good feature is the hidden heating element which makes the inside of the kettle very smooth. Limescale does obviously gather inside, but it is fairly easy to get your washing up brush down inside the kettle for a good scrub.

The spout has a removable filter for limescale which clicks in and out very easily. The instructions say that this is not a kettle that can be filled through the spout, and if you try to do this the shallow nature of the spout gives a lot of splashback. Luckily the smoothly operating flip-top lid makes it easy to fill from the top. The spout has a very good pour, which makes up for its lack of filling technique.

~~putting a brew on~~

When you switch this kettle on you should be braced! Loud and alarming cracking noises indicate that it is starting to heat up, followed by a rushing, roaring sound as the water starts to boil.

The kettle is 2400W and boils fairly quickly, although it is not a rapid boil kettle. The click as it turns off is loud enough to alert you (if the cessation of the roaring noise isn't enough).

The sides of the kettle stay fairly cool to the touch after boiling - I don't think you could be burnt by accidentally touching them.

The base unit is very stable, and has three rubber feet to stop it slipping around.

~~conclusion~~

I am extremely satisfied with my kettle. It works brilliantly, it is reliable, it is easy to clean. Yes, it is noisy and fairly unattractive, but this is a small price to pay. At the end of the day it cost under £15 - what a bargain!